The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries can only realize their climate goals if they pursue an accelerated transition to cleaner forms of energy.
Realizing this, the GMS Regional Power Trade Coordination Committee (RPTCC) who managed regional power trade in the subregion from 2004–2022, formally transitioned to the GMS Energy Transition Taskforce (ETTF) during its 29th meeting in July 2022.
The ETTF is tasked to
Work streams
The ETTF activities are grouped into four key areas.
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Regional Power Trade |
Technology Capacity Buiding |
Energy Efficiency |
Green Finance |
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Planning and executing bilateral or multilateral interconnections and preparing rules and regulations for regional power development. Implement multi-country pilot projects |
Technology capacity building programs on renewable energy, energy storage to improve grid stability. Leveraging electric vehicles |
Accelerating energy efficiency programs in standard and labelling of high-energy consuming household and building appliancees. |
Knowledge sharing and awareness raising to support GMS countries in raising finance for clean energy transition and multi-country pilot projects. |
Events
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Date |
Event Name |
Venue |
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12 December 2024 |
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Jakarta, Indonesia |
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11 December 2024 |
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Jakarta, Indonesia |
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17-19 September 2024 |
Workplan Workshop on Demand-Side Management
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Bangkok, Thailand |
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16-23 July 2024 |
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Sydney and Canberra, Australia |
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28 June 2024 |
ASEAN SOME-ADB Dialogue
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Vientiane, Lao PDR |
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7 June 2024 |
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Manila, Philippines |
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5-6 June 2024 |
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Manila, Philippines |
The GMS ETTF will be joined by the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) Task Force, BIMP-EAGA country representatives, and some development partners as they craft a plan to undertake a simulation-based, dry-run market trading with no physical or financial settlement, designed to signal the benefits of power trading.
Happening on the sidelines of back-to-back events on the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), the 4th ETTF Meeting will discuss GMS country and regional updates related to energy transition; plans on the regional power trade and demand side management ETTF work streams; and development partner support for the GMS energy program.
Energy utilities, regulators, and government agencies from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), along with relevant representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, completed an ADB-led demand side management (DSM) training workshop on 17-19 September in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of the GMS Energy Transition Taskforce activities. The participants were tasked with conceptualizing national and regional DSM workplans. Participants also visited Thailand's demand response control and renewable energy forecast center.
The course will enable the participants to acquire a hands-on understanding of important electricity market concepts, including: (i) why wholesale electricity markets are generally cleared via uniform-price rather than pay-as-bid auctions, (ii) the operation of transmission constraints, (iii) how wind and solar affect electricity market outcomes, (iv) when suppliers have incentives to exercise unilateral market power, and (v) how fixed-price forward contracts can align supplier behavior with the policymaker’s goal of least-cost electricity supply, including when there are transmission constraints and high shares of wind and solar. The workshop is organized by ADB, ADB Institute, and Standford University Program on Energy and Sustainable Development.
This year’s dialogue will focus on how to reinvigorate and advance the implementation of the ASEAN Power Grid, an initiative to construct a regional power interconnection to connect the region.
The study tour and masterclass will provide the participants with in-depth understanding and practical knowledge of (i) key energy transition tasks and tools, (ii) technologies and applications to be utilized for renewable energy integration and expansion, (iii) policy frameworks to support energy transition, and (iv) power market development to support energy transition including interstate trades.
Details will be available soon.
ETTF Membership
Each GMS country nominates six ETTF members representing the areas of energy policy (energy transition, renewable energy, and energy efficiency), energy regulation, grid operation and green finance, and assigns one of them as the GMS ETTF National Coordinator/Chair.
The members are director general/deputy director general level of relevant ministries and utilities. Three ADB staff members are assigned to work on matters relating to the ETTF.
Two ETTF working groups will be initially established: (i) the regional power trade working group, which serves the same function as the Regional Power Trade Coordination Committee (RPTCC) and (ii) the energy efficiency MEPS harmonization working group.
If a need arises for a particular working group, ADB as the ETTF Secretariat, will prepare the terms of reference for the working group for endorsement of the ETTF.
The GMS ETTF National Coordinator/Chair leads the formation of the country team to facilitate national consultations for ETTF activities as necessary. Representatives to the country team may be drawn from relevant ministries or other agencies.
The GMS ETTF meets at least once annually to identify priorities and to create a two-year rolling work plan. The ETTF will also prepare reports on its outputs and activities for consideration at future meetings of the GMS Summit, GMS Ministerial Conference, and Senior Official Meetings.
Capacity Building
The years 2023-2025 are considered capacity building years for the ETTF.
In 2023, three webinars, two face-to-face workshops and a study tour in South Korea exposed the participants to various tools that can support clean energy transition in the GMS. They resulted in the GMS policy makers and utilities gaining knowledge of
In 2024-2025, the capacity building program for ETTF members as well as ASEAN stakeholders will support accelerated energy transition by providing a deep dive into multilateral power trade and regional power market.
Capacity Building Series
Summary of Proceedings
The 3rd Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Energy Transition Task Force (ETTF-3) took place in Manila on 5─6 June 2024 in a hybrid format. Following ETTF-3, a workshop on electricity market principles was held on 7 June, co-organized by the Asian Development Bank and the ADB Institute, in collaboration with Standford University.
The 2nd Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Energy Transition Task Force (ETTF-2) was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia on 4-5 December 2023 in a hybrid format. ETTF-2 was followed by a training on regional power market for the GMS Regional Power Trade Working Group (RPTWG) on 6 December 2023.
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries convened the first Meeting of the GMS Energy Transition Task Force (ETTF) in a hybrid format (with in-person attendance in Manila, Philippines and via web-based conferencing) on 13-14 June 2023.
Greater Mekong Subregion Secretariat
Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division,
Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank
Address: 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 8632 4444 Fax: +63 2 8636 2226